The Fabulous Four Grammar Basics You can use this on a projector or modify it for a smartboard where students can make the specified marks. Once students know how to use the footsteps, they can have sentence practices for bell work or individual practice. It is recommended that you revisit the beginning steps when you continue on to more complex sentences and structures. Grammar Basics

Parts of Speech refers to the building blocks of sentences The term “Parts of Speech” refers to the building blocks of sentences includes verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions. The Fabulous Four: verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs. Students can be given ‘study lists’ of prepositions, conjunctions, articles, and other smaller part of speech that are more definite. You may also use Killgallon methods to introduce students to these part in example sentences.

The Fab Four Footsteps Verb Noun Adjective Adverb What is happening? What happened? Noun Who? What? Adjective What kind? Which one? How many? Adverb When? Where? Why? How? To what extent? You might also use a blank chart and ask students to fill in the questions, either when they are being assessed or just for practice.

Brainteaser: Which Part of Speech is the word ‘brand’? This sentence: His brand new computer has a virus. This sentences: That brand of cereal is more expensive. How about this sentence? He branded his sister’s doll with a permanent marker. And finally: He likes brand names more than he likes saving money. Can you tell what Part of Speech brand takes in each sentence? Do you know how to explain and use the Fab Four parts of speech?

Back to Basics Verb What is happening? What happened? Noun Who? What? Adjective What kind? Which one? How many? Adverb When? Where? Why? How? To what extent? A Part of Speech is determined by the job the word, phrase, or clause is doing in a particular sentence. A word in one sentence can do a completely different job in a different sentence. To “Test” a word, a phrase, or a clause, see what Question it answers from your Fab Four Footsteps Chart. **Always begin with the verb and work your way from there!

Practice Footsteps Have out your chart!

a) ASK “What is happening or What happened?” Step 1: Find the verb. a) ASK “What is happening or What happened?” Yesterday, Simon happily gave his dog a big treat.

Step 2: Next find the “core” nouns and their jobs. a) Ask “Who is doing the action (insert the verb you found)?” b) Ask “Subject (insert the verb you found) what?” c) Ask “Subject (insert the verb your found) what to whom?” iO Yesterday, Simon happily gave his dog a big treat. do S V

Step 3: Look for your adjectives. a) Ask “What Kind?” or “Which one?” for each noun. Adj. iO Yesterday, Simon happily gave his dog a big treat. do S V

    Step 4: Look for adverbs. a) Ask “When?” “Where?” “How?” “To what extent?” and “Why?”. Adv. Adj. Adv. iO Yesterday, Simon happily gave his dog a big treat. do S V

What’s left? do Adv. Adv. S V Adj. iO + Finally, we have ‘his’ and ‘a’ left. What are these? Pos. Pronoun Adv. Adj. Adv. iO Pronouns and articles can be given to students in example sentences in a mini-lesson. Yesterday, Simon happily gave his dog a big treat. do S V Indf. Article

Guided Practice One The little and delicate girl walked without shoes. In the winter, she wore very heavy wooden shoes. In the middle of the village lived old Dame Shoemaker. The Shoemaker made the little girl shoes of red cloth. The little girl, Karen, loved the shoes. Use the footsteps to practice analyzing the sentence and understanding the Fab Four. The Red Shoes- Hans Christian Anderson http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1597/1597-h/1597-h.htm#link2H_4_0018

The Criterion Collection: 1948 The Red Shoes Create and test your own sentences about the video and use the footsteps to test the words. Include: Adjectives Adverbs Possibly have students write down nouns and verbs to begin with. Have them brainstorm possible sentences and ideas. Then with these basic parts they can add adverbs and adjectives. The footsteps will help students to make sure that they understand how each word is working in the sentences and how they write sentences. IF a student notices that they do not have any adverbs, then they will have to go back and add them, making more detailed sentences. IF a student find that they have one verb used repetitively, then they will have to branch out and find variety! This will help students to analyze their own writing in terms of syntax and grammar. http://www.criterion.com/films/233-the-red-shoes